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physical work

[/ˈfɪzɪkəl wɜːrk/]
noun
trabalho físico
1. Labor or employment that primarily involves bodily exertion and manual effort rather than mental or intellectual activity
He spent years doing physical work in construction before becoming an engineer.
Ele passou anos fazendo trabalho físico na construção antes de se tornar engenheiro.
2. Any task or activity that requires significant muscular effort or bodily movement
Physical work in agriculture is demanding but rewarding.
O trabalho físico na agricultura é exigente, mas gratificante.
NYC Slang
grunt work (when referring to heavy labor)
Synonyms
manual labormanual workphysical laborbodily workhands-on work
Antonyms
mental workintellectual workdesk worksedentary workoffice work

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
trabalho físico
Standard usage across Brazil
São Paulo
trabalho braçal
Common colloquial variant emphasizing manual/arm labor
Portugal
trabalho manual
Preferred in Portugal; emphasizes the manual nature

Related Idioms & Phrases

get your hands dirty (to engage in physical work)
sweat of one's brow (referring to hard physical labor)
break your back (to do exhausting physical work)
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